| Laboratory Name | NRM Soil and Water Testing Laboratory |
|---|---|
| Division | Natural Resource Management Division, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Sri Vijaya Puram |
| About the Laboratory | The NRM Soil and Water Testing Laboratory provides analytical support for soil, plant, compost/manure and water samples. The facility supports soil fertility evaluation, crop nutrient management, soil health assessment, water quality evaluation, salinity/sodicity assessment, organic resource characterization, and research activities related to natural resource management in the island ecosystem. |
| Service Category | Parameters / Outputs | Use / Application |
|---|---|---|
| Soil, Plant, Compost and Manure Analysis | pH, EC, Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium and Micronutrients | Soil fertility evaluation, nutrient recommendation, crop nutrition and organic resource quality assessment. |
| Soil Physical Analysis | Texture, Bulk Density and Porosity | Soil health assessment, land capability evaluation, irrigation/drainage planning, erosion and conservation studies. |
| Water Quality Analysis | pH, EC, Hardness, Alkalinity, Calcium, Magnesium, Chloride, Carbonate, Bicarbonate and other chemical parameters | Irrigation water suitability, salinity/sodicity assessment and water quality monitoring. |
| Biological Quality of Water | E. coli and Total Aerobic Count | Basic biological quality assessment of water samples. |
| Sample Preparation Support | Drying, Digestion and Distilled Water Preparation for Analytical Work | Laboratory analysis and research support for soil, plant and water studies. |
| Instrument | Function | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| pH Meter | Measures acidity/alkalinity of soil and water samples. | Soil pH analysis, water quality testing and environmental monitoring. |
| Electrical Conductivity (EC) Meter | Measures electrical conductivity of soil-water suspension or water samples. | Soil salinity, irrigation water quality and land degradation studies. |
| Flame Photometer | Determines potassium (K) and sodium (Na) by flame emission spectroscopy. | Soil fertility, plant nutrient analysis, water quality and salinity/sodicity studies. |
| Nitrogen Distillation Unit | Estimates nitrogen by Kjeldahl distillation after digestion. | Available/total nitrogen in soil, plant, manure and fertilizer samples. |
| Digestion Block | Digests samples using acid and heat for nutrient analysis. | Soil, plant and manure digestion for multi-element analysis. |
| Bouyoucos Hydrometer | Determines soil texture based on sedimentation of soil particles. | Soil texture, particle size distribution, soil classification and land capability assessment. |
| Muffle Furnace | Provides high-temperature ashing/combustion. | Organic matter, ash content and loss-on-ignition studies. |
| Hot Air Oven | Dries samples through controlled hot air circulation. | Moisture determination, drying and sample preparation. |
| Water Distillation Unit | Produces distilled water by boiling and condensation. | Reagent preparation, standards, calibration and routine chemical analysis. |
| Sample Type | Minimum Quantity | Preparation / Collection | Labelling / Submission Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soil | 250–500 g; for texture analysis, 250–500 g dry soil. | Collect representative composite sample; air-dry; remove stones, roots and residues; pass through 2 mm sieve where applicable. | Sample ID, location, depth, crop/land use, collection date and analysis required. |
| Plant | 50–100 g dry material. | Oven-dry and grind the plant material; avoid contamination during collection and processing. | Crop name, plant part, growth stage, location and analysis required. |
| Compost/Manure/Fertilizer | About 200 g or as required. | Collect representative sample; dry and grind where required. | Sample type, source, date and analysis required. |
| Water | 250–500 mL in clean plastic/glass bottle. | Collect without contamination; filter if turbid for chemical analysis; submit as early as possible. | Source, location, collection date/time and analysis required. |
| General | Use clean, leak-proof and properly labelled containers. | Submit request form/letter with complete sample details and payment as per approved rates. | Name, address, mobile/email and purpose of analysis. |
Note: Rates are exclusive of GST. An additional 18% GST is applicable as per the approved rate list.
| Service Package | Coverage | Rate (Rs.) Excluding GST |
|---|---|---|
| Plant/Soil/Compost/Manure Analysis | pH, EC, OC, N, P, K and Micronutrients | 1000 |
| Biological Quality of Water Sample | E. coli and Total Aerobic Count | 1000 |
| Water Quality Parameters (Chemical) | Chemical Water Quality Parameters | 1000 |
| Complete Water Sample Test | Chemical and Biological Analysis | 1500 |
| Parameter | Rate (Rs.) | Parameter | Rate (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 50 | Potassium | 50 |
| Calcium | 50 | Magnesium | 50 |
| Chloride | 50 | Sulphate | 50 |
| Nitrate | 50 | Bicarbonate | 75 |
| Carbonate | 75 | Texture | 100 |
| Porosity | 50 | Electrical Conductivity | 50 |
| Salinity | 50 | - | - |
| Contact Person / Designation | Purpose |
|---|---|
|
Head, Division of Natural Resource Management Dr. I. Jaisankar Principal Scientist & Head, NRM Division Contact: +91 94742 74410 |
Administrative contact and approval/coordination. |
|
Lab In-charge, NRM Soil and Water Testing Laboratory Dr. Abhilash Scientist & Lab In-charge Contact: +91 94163 72068 |
Laboratory coordination, sample acceptance and analysis scheduling. |
|
Dr. Arkadeb Mukhopadhyay Scientist (Agricultural Chemicals) Contact: +91 82820 03549 |
Agricultural chemicals and laboratory support. |
|
Smt. M.V. Naga Lakshmi Technical Officer Contact: +91 95318 32266 |
Laboratory support and sample handling. |